One of its [James A. Garfield's assassination] lessons, perhaps its most important lesson, is the folly, the wickedness, and the d...anger of the extreme and bitter partisanship which so largely prevails in our country. This partisan bitterness is greatly aggravated by that system of appointments and removals which deals with public offices as rewards for services rendered to political parties or to party leaders. Hence crowds of importunate place-hunters of whose dregs [the assassin] Guiteau is the type. The required reform [of the civil service] will be accomplished whenever the people imperatively demand it, not only of their Executive, but also of their legislative officers. With it, the class to which the assassin belongs will lose their occupation, and the temptation to try "to administer government by assassination" will be taken away.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

The system was breaking down. The one who had wandered alone past so many happenings and events began to feel, backing up along th...e primal vein that led to his center, the beginning of hiccup that would, if left to gather, explode the center to the extremities of life, the suburbs through which one makes one's way to where the country is.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

The peace conference must not adjourn without the establishment of some ordered system of international government, backed by powe...r enough to give authority to its decrees. ... Unless a league something like this results at our peace conference, we shall merely drop back into armed hostility and international anarchy. The war will have been fought in vain ...LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

Now for civil service reform. Legislation must be prepared and executive rules and maxims. We must limit and narrow the area of pa...tronage. We must diminish the evils of office-seeking. We must stop interference of federal officers with elections. We must be relieved of congressional dictation as to appointments.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

Called as partners in Christ's service,Called to ministries of grace,...We respond with deep commitmentFresh new lines of faith to trace.May we learn the art of sharing,Side by side and friend with friend,Equal partners in our caringTo fulfill God's chosen end.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

I can counterfeit the deep tragedian,Speak, and look back, and pry on every side,...Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,Intending deep suspicion. Ghastly looksAre at my service like enforced smiles,And both are ready in their officesAt any time to grace my stratagems.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »